"Five O'Clock World" (also known as "5 O'Clock World") is a song written by Allen Reynolds and recorded by American vocal group The Vogues. It reached number 1 on WLS on 17 December 1965 and 7 January 1966, number 1 in Canada on the RPM singles chart on 10 January 1966 (their first of two chart-toppers there that year, followed by "Magic Town" in April), and number 4 in the U.S. on the Hot 100 on 15–22 January 1966 and is one of the Vogues' best-known hits, along with "You're the One".
Arrangement
The Vogues recording begins with a repeating modal figure on 12-string acoustic guitar (the sound reminiscent of medieval chanson, or contemporaries the Byrds), and swings into stride with a low bass drone, and work-song shouts drenched in reverb. The baritone lead vocal by Bill Burkette is punctuated by counter-melodies and harmonies from the group and rises to a lilting yodel after the chorus, with crescendoing string instruments throughout, in anticipation of the after-work freedom promised in the lyric. The sound of a piano is heard, descending the scale, during the yodel. The sound of the other members of the Vogues can be heard repeating the word "up!" The instrumental track was a demo brought in by producer Tony Moon, cut at RCA Studio B in Nashville. The vocal was then overdubbed in Pittsburgh at Co & Ce studios, with label co-head Nick Cenci. Cenci and the group were unhappy with the drum track, which was then re-recorded using local Grains of Sand drummer, Rich Engler.[3] Later, when the group was signed to Reprise, strings were added by arranger Ernie Freeman, overdubbed onto the original Co & Ce master.
Personnel
- Bill Burkette - lead vocals
- Don Miller - backing vocals
- Hugh Geyer - backing vocals
- Chuck Blasko - backing vocals
- Chip Young - 12-string acoustic guitar[4]
- David Briggs - keyboards[5]
- Norbert Putnam - bass[5]
- Jerry Carrigan - drums[5]
- Rich Engler - drums[3]
Cover versions
- The song was also covered by synthpop group Ballistic Kisses and released as a 12" single in 1982. A shortened version was subsequently included on their debut album, Total Access. As with Cope's cover, some lyrics were changed to reflect views surrounding the Cold War.
- Julian Cope also released a cover of the song in 1989 on his album My Nation Underground; Cope changed several of the lyrics and added in a section from the Petula Clark song "I Know a Place". (Both songs were released in 1965.)
- American country music singer Hal Ketchum covered the song on his 1991 album Past the Point of Rescue (which the song's writer, Allen Reynolds, co-produced with Jim Rooney) and released it as a single. The song peaked at number 16 on the Hot Country Singles chart in 1992.[6]
- Scottish rock band The Proclaimers covered the song for their 2003 album Born Innocent.
- It was also covered by Bowling for Soup as a bonus track on some editions of their 2005 album Bowling for Soup Goes to the Movies.[7]
Chart history
The Vogues
| Chart (1965–1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles[8] | 1 |
| New Zealand (Listener)[9] | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 4 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[11] | 3 |
Hal Ketchum
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[12] | 21 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] | 16 |
References
- ^ Lanza, Joseph (1 February 2005). "The Cake Out in the Rain: The Carpenters and the Sugar-Depression 1970s". Vanilla Pop: Sweet Sounds from Frankie Avalon to ABBA. Chicago Review Press. p. 175. ISBN 1-55652-543-5.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (August 9, 2023). "The Alternative Number Ones: Julian Cope's "Charlotte Anne". Stereogum. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
...his cover of "5 O'Clock World," the great proto-bubblegum garage hit that the Vogues released in 1965.
(Subscription required.) - ^ a b "Mr. Music". Jerryosborne.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
- ^ "Cover me! The Vogues "Five O'Clock World"". Poprockrecord.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ a b c "Five O'Clock World by The Vogues". Songfacts. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 189.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ R.P.M. Play Sheet, January 10, 1966
- ^ http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=36#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 27 May 1966
- ^ "The Vogues Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, January 29, 1966
- ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 1968." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 29, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
- ^ "Hal Ketchum Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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